The Canon Status of Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Explained

Summary

• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is canon to the MonsterVerse. It is both a sequel and a prequel to the existing films.
• Monarch provides a fresh take on the origin of the eponymous organization and retcons Godzilla: Awakening.
• The series is not related to Godzilla Minus One, which is a part of a different franchise with a different continuity.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has been the talk of the town for MonsterVerse fans. It serves as the much-needed build-up before the release of Godzilla x Kong next year and is the first series in the franchise. What’s not to be excited about?

Monarch has a messed-up timeline, as it follows two different timelines with many flashbacks. It is an interquel to the existing MonsterVerse films, which means it serves both as a sequel and a prequel to the films. Most of the action takes place in 2015, after Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017), but it also deals with events that took place before Skull Island in 1973.

Nevertheless, now that we’re clear on the timeline, it’s time to talk about if the series is canon to the MonsterVerse! Given the number of versions we have of Kong and Godzilla and the different franchises that deal with our beloved monsters, it is natural to get a little confused.

Let’s find out if Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is canon to the MonsterVerse and if it connects to the other Godzilla films!

1. Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Canon to the MonsterVerse?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is canon to the MonsterVerse. It is officially a part of the MonsterVerse, loosely set after Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island.

Monarch deals with the origins of the eponymous organization and its effort to work for both humanity and Kaiju. It focuses on two siblings from the Randa family who find out more about their father’s connection to the secret organization. The Randa family is integral to the MonsterVerse, so the series is also set in the fictional universe.

The opening sequence of the series features Bill Randa fighting a Titan on Skull Island, establishing the show’s connection to the MonsterVerse. After appearing in Kong: Skull Island, John Goodman also reprises his role as Bill Randa in Monarch.

Monarch is set directly after Godzilla’s major battle with MUTO in San Francisco from the 2014 film. These signs establish that Monarch is definitely canon to the MonsterVerse and deeply connected to the existing films.

Monarch could also set the stage for the upcoming 2024 film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and establish its place in the MonsterVerse. It could tease Skar King, the ruler of Hollow Earth and the main villain in Godzilla x Kong.

2. Is Monarch Related to Godzilla Minus One?

Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters is not connected to the latest Japanese film, Godzilla Minus One. The MonsterVerse is different from the Japanese-produced multimedia featuring Godzilla and has its own timeline and continuity.

Godzilla Minus One is produced by Toho Studios and is a part of the Japanese Godzilla franchise. It has nothing to do with the MonsterVerse. The Toho version of Godzilla runs simultaneously with the MonsterVerse, but the two have completely different timelines and approaches to the character.

3. Does Monarch: Legacy of Monsters retcon Godzilla: Awakening?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters effectively retcons Godzilla: Awakening by changing Monarch’s foundation and their first encounter with Godzilla. Moreover, it ignores the existence of Shinomura, Godzilla: Awakening’s main parasitic villain.

Ever since the release of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, franchise fans have wondered whether Apple TV+ agrees with Godzilla: Awakening or retcons it completely.

This paradigm shift may be because Monarch: Legacy of Monsters wants to portray a more coherent story that aligns with the current ambitions of the Monsterverse. Moreover, the creators don’t want to alienate a major chunk of the fanbase who have not come across Godzilla: Awakening.

Thus, this series is a fresh and updated take on Monarch’s backstory. At the same time, Godzilla: Awakening can be considered a non-canon or alternate version of the MonsterVerse’s history.

4. About Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an American monster television series created by Chris Black and developed by Black and Matt Fraction for the streaming service Apple TV+ based on Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd. It is the sixth installment and the second television series in the MonsterVerse franchise.

The series follows members of the organization Monarch as they encounter Godzilla and other monsters, known as “Titans,” over a half-century, following the events of Godzilla (2014). Black serves as a showrunner.

The series stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski, alongside Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell in the shared role of Lee Shaw. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023, to positive reviews from critics.